The Galaxy S5 will go on sale smack dab in the middle of a ban on Korean carriers from adding new carriers or allowing customers to upgrade phones. March 10, 2014 5:26 AM PDT Samsung's Galaxy S5 (Credit: Andrew Hoyle/CNET) Samsung's Galaxy S5 might have some trouble getting out of the gate when it hits store shelves next month. Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy S5 in Korea on April 11. However, on Friday, South Korea communications watchdogs instituted a 45-day ban, starting this week and extending to May 19, barring the country's carriers from accepting new customers or upgrading existing customers to new handsets. That essentially means the Galaxy S5 could be languishing on store shelves until the ban is lifted. Related stories Samsung serves Milk Music, does a Galaxy good Samsung's answer to Apple's iTunes Radio: Milk Music Better late than never for Facebook's updated newsfeed Unannounced Samsung 'activity tracker' pops up on FCC site Apple fails to win permanent ban of Samsung products Reuters earlier reported on the news. The odd ban comes after Korea discovered that the country's major carriers, including SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG UPlus, were illegally subsidizing smartphones. The country stipulates that smartphones can only be subsidized by about $250. Some carriers, reports claim, were offering subsidies in excess of that. Rather than force all carriers to suffer through a 45-day ban, Korea has placed about five-week bans on each carrier. The bans are staggered so customers could still technically upgrade, depending on the time and their carrier. KT Corp, for example, will start its ban on March 13 and keep it in place until April 26. SK Telecom's ban starts on April 5.
The Galaxy S5 will go on sale smack dab in the middle of a ban on Korean carriers from adding new carriers or allowing customers to upgrade phones.
Samsung's Galaxy S5
(Credit: Andrew Hoyle/CNET)
Samsung's Galaxy S5 might have some trouble getting out of the gate when it hits store shelves next month.
Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy S5 in Korea on April 11. However, on Friday, South Korea communications watchdogs instituted a 45-day ban, starting this week and extending to May 19, barring the country's carriers from accepting new customers or upgrading existing customers to new handsets. That essentially means the Galaxy S5 could be languishing on store shelves until the ban is lifted.
Related stories
- Samsung serves Milk Music, does a Galaxy good
- Samsung's answer to Apple's iTunes Radio: Milk Music
- Better late than never for Facebook's updated newsfeed
- Unannounced Samsung 'activity tracker' pops up on FCC site
- Apple fails to win permanent ban of Samsung products
Reuters earlier reported on the news.
The odd ban comes after Korea discovered that the country's major carriers, including SK Telecom, KT Corp, and LG UPlus, were illegally subsidizing smartphones. The country stipulates that smartphones can only be subsidized by about $250. Some carriers, reports claim, were offering subsidies in excess of that.
Rather than force all carriers to suffer through a 45-day ban, Korea has placed about five-week bans on each carrier. The bans are staggered so customers could still technically upgrade, depending on the time and their carrier. KT Corp, for example, will start its ban on March 13 and keep it in place until April 26. SK Telecom's ban starts on April 5.
